Indian visa services

Travellers from Australia generally need a visa before flying to India, and the right one depends on your passport, your purpose and where you live. The Government of India offers two main routes: an e-Visa, applied for online in limited categories, and a regular (paper) visa issued by an Indian Mission. iVacs Australia, a private documentation-assistance agency in Blacktown NSW, helps you prepare the paperwork for either route.

Our Indian visa services focus on the parts people find hardest: understanding which category the official sites describe for your purpose, completing the Government of India online form accurately, preparing a photograph to specification, and assembling the supporting documents on the official checklist.

We assist clients Australia-wide using scanned documents, phone and courier. A regular visa is lodged in person, by appointment, at the Indian Consular Application Centre (ICAC) run by VFS Global for your state or territory, so you generally attend yourself. To begin using our Indian visa services, contact us and we will send you our own short intake questionnaire. This is an iVacs document, not the Government of India visa application.

India offers two main visa routes, and a third option exists for many people of Indian origin. The right choice depends on your passport nationality, not simply on living in Australia, and on your purpose. It is usually the first question raised by people asking about Indian visa services.

e-Visa. Australian passport holders are on the official list of nationalities eligible for the e-Visa. At the time of writing, categories shown on the portal include e-Tourist, e-Business, e-Medical, e-Medical Attendant, e-Student, e-Family, e-Transit and e-Miscellaneous. Holders of other passports should check the portal's eligible-country list. The e-Visa is not available for employment, journalism or NGO activities. Read more on our India e-Visa page.

Regular (paper) visa. This route covers purposes the e-Visa does not, such as work, journalism or research, and applicants the portal directs to an Indian Mission, including people of Pakistani origin. Applications are lodged in person at the ICAC for your jurisdiction.

OCI card. If you previously held an Indian passport, or have a parent, grandparent or great-grandparent who was an Indian citizen, you may be eligible for Overseas Citizenship of India instead. OCI generally works as a lifelong, multiple-entry visa, although different conditions can apply to OCI granted on the basis of marriage, and eligibility has exclusions. OCI cardholders do not need a separate visa. See our OCI card page.

• Holiday, family visit or business trip on an Australian passport: check the e-Visa first.
• Work, journalism, research or an unlisted purpose: a regular visa lodged at the ICAC.
• Indian origin and regular travel to India: consider whether OCI suits you better.

Each visa type has its own official checklist on the VFS Global India-in-Australia website, and the Mission may ask for more. At the time of writing, the checklists for regular visas generally ask for the following.

• The Government of India online application form, printed and signed.
• Your original passport, generally with at least six months' validity and two blank pages, plus a copy of the photo page.
• One recent colour photograph, 2 x 2 inches, on a plain white or light background.
• Proof of your Australian residential address, matching the jurisdiction chosen on the form.
• Financial documents and your ICAC appointment letter.
• Non-Australian passport holders: proof of current Australian visa status, such as a VEVO record.
• Former Indian citizens: proof that the Indian passport was surrendered or cancelled.
• Children under 18: birth certificate, both parents' passport copies, and both parents' signatures or a consent letter.

Category-specific papers come on top: company and invitation letters for business travel, an admission letter for study, or proof of Indian origin or family relationship for the Entry (Miscellaneous X) visa. Indian visa services at iVacs include comparing your document set with the current checklist.

For an e-Visa, the portal asks for a recent square JPEG photograph on a white background and the passport photo page as a PDF; other documents depend on the category and must be in English.

Whether you visit our Blacktown office or work with us remotely, the steps are the same. With Indian visa services from iVacs, we prepare and check the paperwork, you lodge it, and the Indian authorities decide.

Small, avoidable errors are a common cause of delay. The points below come up regularly in our Indian visa services work, and each reflects Government of India or VFS Global guidance.

• Using a look-alike website. The only official e-Visa site is indianvisaonline.gov.in; unofficial sites may look similar and charge extra.
• Choosing the wrong jurisdiction. Jurisdiction follows where you live. South Australian residents come under Sydney but attend the Adelaide ICAC, and a wrong selection may require a new application.
• A non-compliant photograph. A standard Australian passport photo may not meet the Indian specification, so ask for an Indian visa photo.
• Details that do not match the passport. Check name, nationality, passport number and date of birth before final submission; the applicant is responsible for accuracy.
• Selecting the wrong category. If the occupation on the form is journalist, the checklists say a Journalist visa is required even for a holiday.
• Leaving the old passport at home. If your passport is renewed after an ETA is issued, carry the old one as well.
• Booking too early. VFS Global advises against making travel arrangements until the visa is received, and e-Visa holders may enter only through entry points listed on the portal.

Applicants of Pakistani origin, and some other nationalities, may need extra forms and more time. Our Indian visa services are designed to catch these problems before lodgement, but no checking service can guarantee an outcome.

Visa rules change, so treat this page as general information written in September 2026, not as legal or immigration advice. Before relying on any Indian visa services, including ours, confirm current requirements with the official sources below.

• indianvisaonline.gov.in — the Government of India visa portal for the e-Visa and regular visa forms.
• High Commission of India, Canberra — notices, jurisdiction and emergency contacts.
• VFS Global India in Australia — checklists, appointments and ICAC locations.

iVacs Australia is an independent, private business. We are not connected with, authorised by or an agent of the Government of India, the High Commission, any Consulate General or VFS Global. Our Indian visa services are limited to preparing and checking forms and documents; the authorities alone decide every application. Our consulate contacts page is a convenience only, so rely on the official sites for current details.